Expansion joint for roadways



June 14, 1932. R. ADLER I EXPANSION JOINT FOR ROADWAYS Filed Nov. 18, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 14, 1932. R ADLER 1,863,180

EXPANSION JOINT FOR ROADWAYS Filed Nov. 18. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z] 140% oz Foleri Ad/er Patented June 14, 1932 ROBERT 'ADLER, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA EXPANSION JOINT FOR ROADWA'YS Application filed November 18, 1929. Serial No. 407,962.

sion and contraction of the joint and to facilitate installation of the joint.

Heretofore repeated filling of the expansion joints with bituminous material has been necessary because such material escapes at the bottom of the joint where a cavity is formed by the seasonal shifting of the ad j acent concrete bodies. Where the bottom of the joint is not efficiently sealed, the filling is not forced back to the surface of the road upon expansion of the concrete body and the deficiency must be replaced. I am aware that bars of bituminous material have been enclosed in felt envelopes or the like, but after such devices have been in use for a short time examination discloses that the envelopes have become ruptured. Such envelopes are only temporarily efiectualin confining thejoint filling. By constructing a joint closure or confining member of'sheet metal in such a manner that the expansion and contraction is permitted without rupture, a large part of the replacement work is obviated and a much more permanent and durable structure is produced. In order to minimize the cost, and at the same time provide a device capable of use with dowel bars, I provide a sheet metal channel member or receptacle for the bottom of the j ointand the side walls are disposed to terminate substantially below the upper surface of the concrete body. In this manner a support for the dowel bars during the construction of the roadway is aflorded.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a perspective view of the removable closure bar for use in constructing the joint; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the metal channel member; Fig. 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal section through the closure bar; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a short section of pavement in the process of construction and illustrating the position of the channel member and dowel bars before the pouring of the concrete; Fig. 5 is a similar plan view but showing the closure bar in place; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the finished joint, after the concrete and bituminous material have been poured; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section through the concrete body before the closure bar has been removed and Fig. 8 is a similar section taken through the finished oint.

I provide a channel-shaped receptacle 9 for the bottom of the joint. This receptacle is formed from light gauge, crimped sheet metal and has spaced parallel sides 10 and an inverted V-shaped bottom 11 adapted to prevent escape of the bituminous or other gummy material from the joint. The sides 10 are preferably made of a height such that their upper edges are located where the dowel bars 15 12 are required in the finished body. T o facilitate the retention of the dowel bars in proper spaced relation, pairs of notches 13 are formed iuthe upper edges of the sides 10 and the dowel bars may be supported in said go notches.

Fitting between the sides 10 is a closure bar 14 having recesses 15 in its lower edge to receive the dowel bars 12. The bar 14 is arranged to extend to the upper surface 16 of 35 i the concrete body 17 as shown in Fig. 7 As the bar 14 is used only during construction of the oints, I render it suiiiciently durable for repeated use by encasing it in sheet metal and placing a steel bar 18 along its upper edge. To facilitate its removal after the concrete has been poured, recesses 19 are formed in the upper edge of the bar 14.

The method of procedure in constructing the joint will now be readily understood. The channel receptacle 9 is placed in the bottom of the form for the concrete with the sides 10 extending upward. Dowel bars, where required, are now supported on the upper edges of the sides 10 in the notches 13, as 7 i indicated in Fig. .4, and then the bar 14 is forcibly inserted between the sides 10 with the dowel bars 12 in the recesses 15, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 7.- Now the concrete is placed in the forms so that its upper surface 16 is flush with the top of the bar 14. T'Vhen the ly placed in the receptacle, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 8. Now, if the concrete body contracts so as to widen the joint, the V-shaped bottom 11 merely straightens out to the ex tent necessary to compensate for the contraction and the plastic filler settles into the slightly enlarged joint while the walls 10 adhere to the concrete. On the other hand, if the concrete expands so as to reduce the width of the joint, the bottom is merely folded upward and causes the filler to project slightly above the surface 16, as indicated in Fig. 8.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an expansion joint for concrete roads or the like, a horizontally extending, sheet metal, channel member adapted to constitute a receptacle for a filler of bituminous material or the like, said channel member having upstanding side walls adhering to the adjacent concrete and terminating with their upper edges beneath the surface of the concrete, said edges having openings therein and dowel bars supported in said openings, the bottom of said channel member extending at least to the lower surface of the concrete and being formed to permit expansion and contraction of the receptacle.

2. In an expansion joint for concrete roads or the like, a sheet metal channel member adapted to constitute a receptacle for a filler of bituminous material or the like, said channel member having upstanding side walls terminating with their upper-edges beneath the surface of the concrete said edges having upwardly open notches therein and dowel bars extending transverse said member and supported in said notches.

3. In an expansion joint for concrete roads or the like, a sheet metal channel member adapted to constitute a receptacle for a filler of bituminous material or the like, said channel member having upstandingside walls terminating with their upper edges beneath the surface of the concrete andhaving openings in said side walls near their upper edges,

dowel bars extending transverse said member 1n said openings and a bar fitting between said walls and extending longitudinally their'eof to exclude concrete from said receptac e, per surface of the concrete to permit filling said bar being removable from the upof said receptacle with bituminous material or the like. 1

4. In an expansion joint for concrete roads or the like, a sheet metal channel member adapted to constitute a receptacle for a filler of bituminous material or the like, said channel member having upstanding slde walls terminating with their upper edges beneath the surface of the concrete, dowel bars extending transverse said member in engagement with the side walls thereof and a removable closure for said receptacle projecting above said walls to form the upper portion of the joint.

5. In an expansion joint for concrete roads or the like, a sheet metal channel member adapted to constitute a receptacle for a filler of bituminous material or the like, said channel member having upstanding side walls terminating with their upper edges beneath the surface of the concrete, dowel bars extending transverse said member and supported on the side walls thereof and a removable bar having notches in its lower edge to receive said dowel bars, said removable bar projecting above said walls to form the upper portion of the joint and being removable from the top of the concrete.

6. In an expansion joint for concrete roads or the like, a sheet metal channel member adapted to constitute a receptacle for a filler of bituminous material or the like extending to the bottom surface of theconcrete,said channel member having upstanding side walls terminating with their upper edges beneath the surface of the concrete, dowel bars extending transverse said member near the top of said walls and a removable closure for said channel member supported on said dowel bars and projecting above said walls to form the upper portion of the joint.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT ADLER. 

